I’ve tested a lot of cargo e-bikes over the last decade-plus of reviewing electric bicycles. There are good cargo e-bikes. There are great cargo e-bikes. And then there’s Xtracycle. More specifically, there’s the new Xtracycle Swoop ASM, which might just be a cut above every other cargo e-bike I’ve tested. ASM stands for “Automatic Smile Machine,” and the name works on two levels. First, this thing is simply a blast to ride, whether you’re the one pedaling or one of the lucky passengers hanging out on the back. Second, it features Shimano’s automatic electronic shifting system, which appeals equally to the engineer and cyclist in me. To see the bike in action and get my from the saddle thoughts, check out my review video below. Then keep watching for even more details about this impressive full-family cargo e-bike. Advertisement - scroll for more content Before getting into why that automatic shifting is such a big deal, let’s run through the hardware. The Swoop ASM is a Class 3 electric cargo bike capable of reaching 28 mph (45 km/h). It uses Shimano’s EP6 Cargo mid-drive motor paired with a 630Wh Shimano battery, with Xtracycle quoting up to 60 miles (96 km) of range. Both the motor and battery are UL-listed, so there’s nice peace of mind built right in. The bike uses a 24-inch front wheel with a suspension fork and a smaller 20-inch rear wheel, helping keep the rear cargo deck low enough for easier loading and a lower center of gravity. Both wheels wear 2.4-inch Maxxis Metroloads, which offer a nice compromise between comfort and agility. Stopping power comes from Tektro four-piston hydraulic disc brakes, while the drivetrain is a Shimano CUES Di2 10-speed setup. And that drivetrain is where things get interesting. I’ve tested automatic-shifting e-bikes before and haven’t always been impressed. Some systems leave you feeling like you’re fighting against the bike, shifting at moments you wouldn’t choose or seemingly second-guessing what you’re trying to do. Shimano has this one dialed in. The system seemingly just knows when I would want to shift and does it for me without getting in the way. After enough time riding the Swoop ASM, I started wishing all my bikes shifted this way. Automatic shifting makes sense on virtually any bicycle, but it’s especially useful on a cargo bike. When you’ve got a couple of kids riding behind you, the fewer things you need to think about, the better. There’s nothing quite like coming to a stop on a heavily loaded cargo bike, forgetting to downshift, and then discovering that you’re in a high gear while trying to get several hundred pounds of bike, rider, kids, and cargo rolling again. The Swoop ASM solves that problem by automatically downshifting when you stop. When the light turns green, you’re already in the right gear. It also pairs beautifully with the Shimano mid-drive motor. The torque-sensing pedal assist feels natural, and keeping the motor, drivetrain, electronic shifting, and controls within Shimano’s ecosystem makes everything feel cohesive. Of course, carrying stuff is the entire point of a cargo bike, and Xtracycle has that part figured out too. I used the rear setup for everything from kids to more than 100 pounds of Jackery solar generators, and the passenger corral works surprisingly well for oddly shaped cargo. Unlike some companies that advertise an attractive base price and then make you spend hundreds more turning the bike into the family hauler you thought you were buying, Xtracycle generally includes much of that equipment in the package. The rear passenger carrier is rated as a “2+” setup. I only managed to round up two kids for testing, but there was clearly room back there for a third if I’d been more resourceful – or simply had more nieces and nephews out of school. Xtracycle’s accessories are also built with the same mentality as the bike itself. The enormous pannier looks like something designed to strap onto the side of a fighter jet rather than a 28 mph cargo e-bike. It is so well made that it looks like it could handle a jet stream. This stuff feels overbuilt because Xtracycle understands that its customers use these bikes as everyday transportation. When you’re carrying your kids, groceries, work gear, or whatever else your family can throw at the bike, overbuilt is exactly the right amount of built. Perhaps one of the best demonstrations of the Swoop ASM’s underlying engineering is something that doesn’t appear on a spec sheet: I can ride it without my hands on the handlebars. I don’t mean that as a recommendation for your morning school run. Rather, it demonstrates just how stable and well-designed the bike’s geometry is. Xtracycle is a real bicycle company, and it shows. The Swoop tracks beautifully and feels composed instead of giving you that vague, wandering sensation found on some long-tail cargo bikes. It’s rare that I can actually go no-hands on a cargo bike like I can on my normal city bikes, but this one feels just as stable despite the long, stretched out frame. There are plenty of smaller touches I appreciate, too. Integrated lighting is included, the adjustable stem helps riders dial in their cockpit position, and there’s even a dropper seat post. That dropper is particularly useful on a cargo bike. You can ride with the saddle at the proper height for full leg extension, then drop it as you approach a stop so you can comfortably plant both feet on the ground while supporting a fully loaded bike. Start riding again, raise the saddle, and you’re immediately back in the ideal pedaling position. Interestingly, amid all of this technology, Shimano keeps the display refreshingly simple. You get your battery level, speed, gear position, and selectable information like remaining range, odometer, and trip distance. That’s basically it. If you want to manually control the Di2 drivetrain, shifting buttons on the right handlebar let you do that. Otherwise, just leave it in automatic and let the bike handle the gears. The catch, unsurprisingly, is the price. At $4,495, the Xtracycle Swoop ASM is unquestionably a premium cargo e-bike. It isn’t competing with $1,500 budget models, nor is it pretending to. But there are also cargo e-bikes pushing $8,000, so everything is relative. If your primary goal is spending as little as possible, there are plenty of budget cargo bikes that can get the job done. But if you want higher-end components, an excellent drivetrain, thoughtful geometry, quality accessories, and a bike designed to survive years of hard daily use, this is what paying for a premium model gets you. And if a bike costs several times more but lasts several times longer while providing a safer, better riding experience for your family, the math starts to make a lot more sense. Premium cargo e-bikes are a pay-to-play affair. But with the Xtracycle Swoop ASM, I can confidently say you’re getting what you pay for. After testing more cargo e-bikes than I can count, this is one of the best examples I’ve ridden of what happens when a company doesn’t just build an electric bike with a long rack on the back, but actually understands what families need from a true car-replacing cargo e-bike. Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? 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Liked by Adam King, Olivia Martin
Liked by Adam King, Olivia Martin
Liked by Adam King, Olivia Martin
